Tower Floor Register

ABSTRACT

A tower floor register that replaces the standard in-floor register. The tower register&#39;s bottom extremity is inserted into the floor opening and does not require screws to bolt it to the floor. The stackable tower sections create a vertical duct for channeling air upward from the floor and out into a room. The tower can be stacked to the height required to clear the vertical dimensions of obstructing objects. Rotatable and adjustable directional vent stacks, which can be inserted into the tower directional vent stack manifold, are used to aim the air flow in the direction that provides the desired comfort level.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in general, relates to central heating andcooling systems and, more particularly, to direct air flow out of afloor register to those areas in a room where it will provide thegreatest comfort.

Air ducts that radiate out from central plenums and the registers thatcover them are well known to the heating and cooling industry. The airducts are used to route the flow of heated and cooled air to andthroughout rooms and areas of homes, apartments, and other types ofliving spaces.

The current registers include a grille that covers an exposed end ofeach air duct.

Registers are usually located on floor and wall surfaces. Registersconsist of a grille with multiple openings through which air flows.Registers generally includes a series of angled members that direct theair either right, left, down or up based on the location of theregister.

Registers have dampers which are louvers or a plate that can be movedback and forth to adjust the airflow into a room.

While the above system of air ducts and registers is useful in conveyingheated and cooled air into a room, it does not take into account theeffect furniture placement has on the flow of air into the room.

For example, the placement of couches, loveseats, chairs and other roomfurnishings in close proximity of a register can obstruct the air flowinto a room.

There exists today a need for a tower floor register that overcomes theanomalies mentioned above.

Clearly, an apparatus that provides greater flexibility in directing theflow of air into a room regardless of its proximity to furniture wouldenhance the comfort level of room occupants.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

The only known prior art for redirecting air flow includes deflectorsthat adhere magnetically to a register grille to direct air in a generaldirection, and devices that employ mounting screws. While thefunctionality of the known prior types of devices may, at firstappearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ inmaterial respects. These differences, which will be described in moredetail hereinafter, underscore the novel functionality that is notavailable with the prior devices.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tower floorregister that replaces existing types of floor registers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tower floor register thatovercomes the verticality challenges of room furnishings.

It is an object of the invention to provide greater flexibility indirecting the flow of air into a room.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tower floor register wherethe base consists of a flange and a plenum chamber section that performsthe function of an air supply vent cover when inserted into the flooropening.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tower floor register thatcontains multiple louvers, housed in adjustable intermediaries, thatwill be used to adjust the airflow out of the tower and into the room.

It is an object of the invention to provide an aesthetically pleasingtower floor register with multiple interlocking, detachable plenumchamber sections that fit snugly together to create a channel forchanneling air upward, and elevates the tower to a height suitable toclear the vertical dimensions of most obstructing objects near the floorregister, or to a level desired by the room occupant.

It is an object of the invention to provide multiple detachable plenumchamber sections whose bottom openings consist of a chamber attachmentcollar that allows it to receive the top portion of an accompanyingplenum chamber section for the purpose of joining the two sectionssnugly together.

It is an object of the invention to provide a vent stack manifolddesigned to cap off the top opening of the uppermost section of thetower floor register.

It is an object of the invention to provide a vent stack manifold withmultiple openings for the purpose of allowing air to flow from the topof the assembled tower floor register. The openings in the tower cap aredesigned to receive individual directional vent stacks.

It is an object of the invention to provide directional vent stacks thatcan be rotated circularly 360 degrees and tilted vertically 60 degreesfor the purpose of aiming the airflow in multiple directions and atvarying angles.

It is an object of the invention to provide directional vent stacksconsisting of sliding sections that enables the stacks to be raised orlowered vertically, and enables the opening of the directional ventstack to extend horizontally beyond the edge of the vent stack manifold,and an internal louver panel that can be rotated to adjust the air flowout of the directional vent stack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective of the tower floor register.The air supply/duct and floor cut away are provided for illustrationpurposes only and are not meant to be claimed as a part of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side view in perspective of the fully assembled tower floorregister shown in FIG. 1, which has been inserted into the opening inthe floor. The chair is provided for illustration purposes only and isnot a part of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the directional vent stack manifold,which caps off the top of the tower floor register shown in FIG. 1, withthe left, center and right directional vent stacks in position.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of left directional vent stack 1positioned over an opening in the directional vent stack manifold shownin FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and particularly to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 a stackable plenum comprised of a left directional vent stack 1,a center directional vent stack 2, a right directional vent stack 3, adirectional vent stack manifold 4, plenum chamber section 5 with plenumchamber attachment collar 5 a, plenum chamber section 6 with plenumchamber attachment collar 6 a, and plenum chamber base 7 with plenumchamber base air duct cover 7 a and plenum chamber base air duct flange7 b.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to the second embodimentshown in FIG. 2 the plenum chamber base air duct flange 7 b has beenplaced into the air duct opening in the floor resulting in the plenumchamber base air duct cover 7 a sealing the opening in the floor. Plenumchamber section 6 is attached to plenum chamber section 7 with the aidof plenum chamber attachment collar 6 a. Plenum chamber section 5 isattached to plenum chamber section 6 with the aid of plenum chamberattachment collar 5 a. Directional vent stack manifold 4 is attached toplenum chamber section 5. Right directional vent stack 3 is insertedinto directional vent stack manifold 4 and positioned at a 90° angle.Center directional vent stack 2 is inserted into directional vent stackmanifold 4 and positioned at a downward 60° angle. Left directional ventstack 1 is inserted into directional vent stack manifold 4 andpositioned at an upward 60° angle.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to the third embodiment shownin FIG. 3 left directional vent stack 1 is comprised of vertical stackbase section 1 a, vertical height adjustment section 1 b, 60°directional stack adjustment joint 1 c, horizontal length section 1 d,horizontal length extender section 1 e, vent chamber 1 f. Centerdirectional vent stack 2 is comprised of vertical stack base section 2a, vertical height adjustment section 2 b, 60° directional stackadjustment joint 2 c, horizontal length section 2 d, horizontal lengthextender section 2 e, vent chamber 2 f. Left directional vent stack 3 iscomprised of vertical stack base section 3 a, vertical height adjustmentsection 3 b, 60° directional stack adjustment joint 3 c, horizontallength section 3 d, horizontal length extender section 3 e, vent chamber3 f. Directional vent stack manifold 4 is a plenum chamber attachmentcollar comprised of vent stack rotatable bases 4 a.1, 4 a.2, 4 a.3, inwhich the vertical stack base insert sleeves (1 a.1, 2 a.1, 3 a.1) areinserted.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to the third embodiment shownin FIG. 4 left directional vent stack 1 is comprised of vertical stackbase section 1 a, vertical stack base insert sleeve 1 a.1, verticalheight adjustment section 1 b, 60° directional stack adjustment joint 1c, horizontal length section 1 d, horizontal length extender section 1e, airflow volume adjustment knob 1 e.1, internal louver adjustment bar1 e.2, adjustable internal louver panel 1 e.3, vent chamber 1 f, andexternal vent blades 1 f.1. Directional vent stack manifold 4 is aplenum chamber attachment collar comprised of vent stack rotatable base4 a, in which the vertical stack base insert sleeve 1 a.1 is inserted,and vent stack air intake hood 4 b is located on the underside of thedirectional vent stack manifold 4.

What is claimed:
 1. A tower floor register that overcomes theverticality challenges of room furnishings, comprising: (a) a towerfloor register comprised of multiple plenum chamber sections, which whenjoined together will create a channel for directing the air upward, andelevates the tower to a height suitable to clear the vertical dimensionsof most obstructing objects located near the floor register, or to alevel desired by the room's occupant. (b) the base of the tower floorregister performs the function of an air supply vent cover when insertedinto the floor opening, said base contains a flange and a plenum chambersection that serves as the first section of the tower. (c) thedirectional vent stack manifold encloses the top opening of theassembled tower.
 2. The tower floor register of claim 1 wherein saidplenum chamber sections have plenum chamber section collars for thepurpose of joining the two sections together.
 3. The tower floorregister of claim 1 wherein said directional vent stack manifold sectionhas multiple vent stack rotatable bases that can be rotated 360 degrees.4. The tower floor register of claim 3 wherein said vent stack rotatablebases have openings that enables directional vent stacks to be insertedand rotated 360 degrees for the purpose of aiming the airflow inmultiple directions.
 5. The tower floor register of claim 1 wherein saidmeans of directing air flow includes multiple directional vent stackunits that can be tilted and raised vertically, extended horizontallypassed the edge of the directional vent stack manifold, and houses arotatable louver that controls the airflow from the tower.
 6. The towerfloor register of claim 1 wherein the upper part of said tower baseextending above the floor line is the initial plenum chamber section andits top opening allows it to receive the directional vent stack manifoldor the bottom portion of an accompanying plenum chamber section for thepurpose of joining the two sections together. References Cited U.S.PATENT DOCUMENT 7,022,011 B1 August 2004 Rickman 454/306 4,850,266 AJuly 1989 Bennett 454/338 3,359,883 A December 1967 Murphy 454/3064,481,871 A November 1984 Efstratis 454/306 4,967,646 A November 1990Brown 454/289 4,020,753 October 1975 Efstratis  98/40 C 5,095,942 AMarch 1992 Murphy 137/561 A